


First Kiss

by aggiepuff, Whedonista93



Series: Zutara Week 2018 [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, First Kiss, Zutara, Zutara Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 06:25:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15479580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aggiepuff/pseuds/aggiepuff, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: Zutara Week 2018 Day 1: First KissIn which all bets are honored when Zuko needs to get his Counselors off his back.





	First Kiss

“I still don’t get why we have to have a ball,” Zuko growls half-heartedly at his uncle.

“It has been five years of peace, nephew,” Iroh grins indulgently. “It is worth celebrating.”

“Fine, but why do _I_ have to go?”

“Because you’re firelord, Sparky,” Toph’s voice calls from the balcony.

Zuko yelps. “Toph! What are you doing here? I’m in the bath!”

“Uh huh. I can see that,” Toph says blandly, eyebrow arching as she saunters through the door.

Zuko blushes. “Right. Uh,” he slides deeper into the water, “… right.”

“So,” she says, leaning against the door jam, “what’ve you got against parties, Sparky?”

“It’s not parties,” Zuko grumbles.

“Then what is it?”

“My nephew’s Council is pressuring him to marry,” Iroh offers helpfully.

“Uncle!” Zuko protests.

“Is that not the reason you do not wish to attend?”

“Of course it’s the reason! All the Council members are going to be throwing their daughters and granddaughters and nieces at me all night. But that doesn’t mean I want everyone to _know_ about it.”

Toph scoffs. “Since when am I everyone, Sparky?”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I just…” Zuko sinks further down in his bath.

Toph shrugs, softening. “I get it, Sparky. My parents did the same thing last time I went home.”

“It sucks.”

“Yep.”

Zuko sits up, turning to Toph. “How’d you get them to stop?”

Toph grins mischievously. “Told them I was secretly married to Twinkletoes.”

Iroh spews his tea and Zuko’s face goes slack in shock before both burst out laughing.

Toph’s grin grows and she shrugs. “It worked. They didn’t actually believe me, but they stopped badgering me about it.”

Zuko grins back. “Fake marry me, Toph?”

“Already fake married, Sparky. Ask Sugar Queen.”

Zuko groans and submerges himself under the surface, hoping the water surrounding him will hide his rocketing heart rate from Toph.

 

* * *

 

“Zuko!”

Zuko spins toward the voice just in time to catch Katara launching herself at him. “Katara. You’re early!”

Katara smiles and steps back enough to look up at him without removing her arms completely from around his shoulders. “Iroh sent a message a few weeks ago. Said you might need my help with something?”

“ _Weeks_? That meddling old-”

“Zuko!”

Zuko sighs and lowers his head until their foreheads are almost touching. “Yeah, I’ll behave. I uh… I do-” a clatter across the courtyard makes him jerk back in surprise and he remembers they’re still out in a fairly public area. He looks over to see one his Council trying to watch them and failing to be subtle about it.

Katara follows his gaze and scowls. “How about your office?”

Zuko steps away and offers her his arm. “Sounds good.”

Katara takes his arm with a smile.

They settle comfortably into the wingbacks in front of the wide fireplace in Zuko’s office as a maid brings tea. Zuko thanks her kindly before closing and locking the door behind her. He pours and serves tea silently before sitting and fidgeting with his sleeves.

Katara takes a sip, watching Zuko over the rim of her cup. “Okay, Zuko,” she says, leaning forward, “talk to me. I haven’t seen you this nervous since you showed up at the Western Air Temple.”

“Uh…”Zuko shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He takes a deep breath, lets it out. ”What would you say if I asked you to marry me?” he blurts.

Katara freezes with her tea cup halfway to her lips.

“That came out wrong.”

Katara carefully sets her cup down and angles her body toward Zuko. “Why don’t you start at the beginning?”

Zuko sets his own cup down and takes a deep breath. “My Council is pushing for me to take a bride. I was young enough when I took the throne that a Fire Lady wasn’t an issue, and besides, I had Mai. Now, though… well, most of my Council is looking at it as an opportunity to throw their single female relatives at me.”

Katara bites her lip. “Why me, though, Zuko? Not to be conceited, but everyone knows who we are. If we were to announce an engagement… that’s not something we could just walk away from.”

“We could figure that out later. I just… I need time to figure it out.”

“That still doesn’t answer why me.”

Zuko shrugs self consciously. “Because I trust you.”

 

* * *

 

Zuko doesn’t even try not stare when Katara enters the ballroom. Her dress is a flawless combination of blues and reds in a style that reflects both Fire Nation and Water Tribe.

Katara smiles brightly and spins as she approaches. “Like it?”

“You’re beautiful,” Zuko answers, awestruck.

Katara blushes.

Zuko realizes what he said and blushes well. “Uh, I mean… well, yeah, you are.”

She smiles at him. “Thank you.”

He offers his arm. “Ready for this?”

She nods. “Remember, we only make the engagement announcement if we have to.”

“I let you growl at everyone first,” Zuko grins.

Katara scowls at him. “I don’t growl.”

Zuko just smiles at her indulgently.

Three hours later, Katara has scared off all but the most persistent suitors, but a few of Zuko’s Council are eyeing them suspiciously. Zuko groans when one of them starts toward them with his daughter at his elbow.

He looks down at Katarta. “I think we have to.”

An expression he can’t quite read crosses her face before spins on her heel and cuts her way across the room.

The Councilman reaches Zuko. “Firelord-”

“Not now,” Zuko growls before he rushes after Katara. He finds her on a balcony. “Katara?”

She hastily swipes at her cheeks.

He reaches out and rests his hands on her shoulders. “Katara, what’s wrong?”

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Zuko. I know I said I would, but I can’t. I just… I can’t. Pretending would be too much when I… I just can’t.”

“When you what?” Zuko asks gently. “Pretending would be too much when you what, Katara?”

Instead of answering, Katara surges up and presses her lips to his. Before Zuko can react, she pulls away.

Zuko, with what little brain power he has left in that moment, uses his hands on her shoulders to keep her from running away. “Katara?”

“I can’t pretend because it would be too hard to remember it wasn’t real,” Katara whispers to her feet.

Zuko closes his eyes and laughs.

Katara looks up sharply. “Zuko?”

“What if we didn’t have to pretend?”

 

* * *

 

Iroh steps away from balcony, closing the doors and curtains as he goes, affording a bit of privacy for its young occupants. They are so entwined in each other, neither of them so much as registers his presence.

“Lady Toph!” Iroh calls as he steps back into the ballroom.

The earthbender immediately makes her was to him. “What’s up, old man?”

“I thought you would like to know that you may begin collecting on those wagers you placed.”

Toph pumps a fist in the air with a grin. “ _Finally_! Wait… who made the first move?”

“That would be Lady Katara, unless these old eyes deceived me.”

“Ugh,” Toph groans. “I’m gonna owe Sokka. Don’t tell him yet.”

“As you wish, my lady.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey Snoozles!”

Sokka groans into his cup. “You can’t come up with something better, Toph? At least everyone else’s nicknames make sense.”

Toph shrugs one shouldered, keeping her other hand tucked behind her back. “You want your payout or not?”

“Payout?”

Toph sighs dramatically. “You know all those bets I collected on after the ball?”

“Yeah… and?”

“ _And_ , technically I lost one.”

“Wha- wait. You mean Katara…”

Toph nods and pulls his prize from behind her back. “Sugar Queen laid one on Sparky first. Found _this_ when I was wandering around after the war.”

Sokka’s jaw drops and his voice goes up an octave as he lunges forward to grab it. “Space sword!”

He caresses the sword, marveling at the smooth black metal and Toph makes a face. “Get a room!”

Suddenly, Sokka surges forward and lifts Toph off her feet in a hug.

She smacks his back half-heartedly. “Put me down, you lug! Meteor rock _was_ one of the accepted forms of payment and you won one of the bets. Quit being mushy.”

He puts her down with a huff. “You paid with _my_ sword!”

“Finders keepers, possession is nine-tenths of the law, blah, blah, blah. Just be glad I gave it back at all. Do you know what I could make with that thing?”

Sokka rolls his eyes. “Thanks, Toph.”

 


End file.
